Garden Planner, Oct. 26

Oct. 25, 2013

Written by

Stephanie Bruner

Special to the Register

This week

ē Itís OK to leave most perennial tops standing in the garden ó in fact, some, like ornamental grasses and tall sedum, add great winter interest. But some perennials really need to be cut back to avoid disease problems next year. Peonies, tall garden phlox, hollyhocks, and bearded irises are some that should be cut back. The first three tend to have fungal diseases that will crop up next year if you donít clean up around them. Spread a little fresh mulch in the area, too, to keep spores from splashing onto next yearís new foliage when it rains. Bearded iris foliage can harbor iris borer eggs that will hatch, and the borers will munch on plants next spring. Donít put mulch around bearded irises, and make sure you clean up dead leaves around them to cut down on borer eggs.

ē Speaking of garden cleanup, be sure to rake up fallen leaves and fruit from around fruit trees and vines. They can harbor diseases that will come back to haunt your garden next year. And clean up and compost vegetable garden debris, too.

ē Plant amaryllis bulbs now to have them blooming for the holidays. You can put each individual bulb into a pot thatís about an inch wider than the bulb, or group several together in a bigger pot, leaving about an inch between bulbs.

This month

ē Itís not too late to plant trees and shrubs. Just be sure to keep them watered until the ground freezes.

ē Prune out broken branches from trees and shrubs before winter snow and ice cause more damage. Itís easier to see what needs to be pruned as the leaves fall.

Stephanie Bruner is a freelance writer from Des Moines who has a degree in horticulture.